The Courting of Bristol Keats

Mary E. Pearson — 2024

From New York Times bestselling author Mary E. Pearson comes a thrilling romantic fantasy full of dangerous fae, dark secrets, and addictive romance After losing both their parents, Bristol Keats and her sisters struggle to stay afloat in their small, quiet town of Bowskeep. When Bristol begins to receive letters from an “aunt” she’s never heard of who promises she can help, she reluctantly agrees to meet—and discovers that everything she thought she knew about her family is a lie. Even her father might still be alive, not killed but kidnapped by terrifying creatures to a whole other realm—the one he is from. Desperate to save her father and find the truth, Bristol journeys to a land of gods and fae and monsters. Pulled into a dangerous world of magic and intrigue, she makes a deadly bargain with the fae leader, Tyghan. But what she doesn't know is that he's the one who drove her parents to live a life on the run. And he is just as determined as she is to find her father—dead or alive.

Reviews

fris🐝@lfrisbee

Mar 6, 2025

this book is frustrating because the concept is there but the pacing was very slow to start, the FMC was sometimes slow on the uptake, and the plot left off on a weird and unsatisfying note. I think the book would have been better served if we as the reader found out the big reveal about Bristol’s parentage at the same time as she did. knowing all along made her look silly and the reveal less impactful. it would have made the reader understand her anger at tyghan more if Pearson had waited—and I know from a kiss of deception that my queen loves a twist that surprises both the FMC and the reader.

the book was very character driven, but the characters were not as likable as I think Pearson wanted them to come across. as a result, it took about 60% of the book for me to really care what was happening. and, as I said, the ending left a lot to be desired.

overall, I will likely read the next one because I want to know what happens, but this was not a favorite and a bit disappointing.

Emma@fae_emma

Aug 8, 2024

ooooh! I really enjoyed this one. This romantasy is heavier on the romance, but the world is so fun, I couldn't help but want more! All the characters have layers that I want to dig deeper into, and while our FMC is occasionally unlikable or frustrating, I think it added more to the drama. I'm excited to see this story unfold.